Long term travel is a wonderful thing. Having the freedom of going where you want to go, experiencing the faraway places you’ve been dreaming of and overall, just living by your own clock. The world you once know, and the routine you were accustomed to vanishes. A new path and world lay before you. Sound great doesn’t it? As great as it sounds we’re here to give you the 7 pros and cons of long term travel.
Let’s begin.
Hoi An, Vietnam – Old Quarter With The Famous Lanterns
Long Term Travel Pro’s:
Like we said above, long term travel is a wonderful thing. You get to live by your own rules, by your own clock. You get to take a break from whatever it may have been…a job, a relationship or to perhaps fulfill a dream or maybe, just get a little clarity on life. Whatever reason you decide to roam, there is no better feeling that setting foot on the plane that is taking you to the place you’ve been dreaming of.
We spent 8 months aboard and we will say, it was the best decision we’ve ever made. Without a doubt, without hesitation, we’d do it all over again…and for longer J Alright, let’s get to listing the pros of long term travel
You’ll Be In Awe
Ha, like every day. Your senses will be on overdrive. From new sights to new smells, everything will be new, exciting first experiences. The beauty you’ll see, whether its scenery or human kindness, will blow you away.
You Will Be Humbled
You’ll meet people and have experiences that will humble you to the core. You will see people with barely anything, happy. Like so happy it doesn’t make sense. You’ll learn how resilient the human spirit is and what you really need in life to be happy.
You’ll Learn That We’re Not So Different
The world isn’t as scary or as dangerous as the media makes it out to be. Sure, things happen and there are crazy people everywhere, regardless of what their skin color or who they pray to. Traveling slams stereotypes. You’ll see how beautifully amazing our world is and the people that inhabit are. You will learn that we’re not so different after all and we have more in common than you once thought.
You’ll Get A New Perspective
You thought you knew about the world, boooooy are you wrong! Travel challenges your thinking. It challenges your perceptions. It opens your eyes to things you never knew existed and lets you have experiences you never know you wanted or needed. It’s a welcome and honestly much needed slap in the face.
The Wandering Stus
You’ll Learn To Live In The Now
It’s easy to get caught up in the grind of routine and being at home. If traveling long term teaches you anything, it teaches you to live now. It forces you to slow down and to concentrate on the moment at hand. It makes you appreciate what’s in front of you. And most of all, it forces you to appreciate the small things in life. Think about it, on a short vacation, you appreciate the sound of the waves crashing or that amazing sunset. You notice it more than being at home. Now, imagine feeling that sense of appreciation every day. It’s just…well…indescribable.
You’ll Learn Things Are Out Of Your Control
Travel shows you just because you plan and want something to happen doesn’t mean it will. Hiccups happen while traveling – just like in life. There is no point in getting worked up over something you can’t change. Travel teaches you to be adaptable and roll with the punches. It’s teaches you that certain things are beyond your control and you know what, it’s ok!
You’ll Learn One Path Doesn’t Fit Everyone
In life there is not one path to success or to happiness. People thought we were crazy for quitting our jobs and hitting the road. We’re proof that there isn’t one single path to happiness or success. Travel puts people of all different backgrounds in front of you to learn from and grow from. At the end of it all, there are a bazillion paths that lead to success. Concentrate on the one that’s for you.
Koh Tao, Thailand – Viewpoint Hike
Long Term Travel Con’s:
Now, don’t get us wrong, lounging by the beach for months on end or hoping from city to city taking in some of the best sites on earth is amazing, but it’s not all sunshine and laughs. Travel can be testing and tiring. It can be infuriating and defeating. We encountered plenty of these moments, but it’s all about dealing with what’s in front of you, adjusting and learning. Alright, here are our 7 cons of long term travel.
You’ll Get Scammed
Without a doubt, you’ll get screwed on your travels. You’ll over pay for food, excursions, accommodations and transportation. You’ll soon learn there is what locals pay and then there is what you, “the foreigner with money”, pays.
You will Have Your Heart Broken
You’ll see poverty and hardship like you’ve never seen before. It’ll be in your face every day and it can be hard to swallow or look away from. People scrumming for food, kids begging for money and mangled animals walking down the street.
You will Lose Faith In Humanity
The world can show you its ugly face. Be it past museums or memorials that show you the atrocities of the past or current refugee camps, you’ll question who the good guys really are. Why did this happen or why is it currently happen? It seems like no one cares about the lives that are being affected. The world you thought you understood, flips in front of you.
You’ll Miss Out
Your friends and family continue to live their lives while your away…rightfully so. While your gallivanting around, life back home goes on. You’re away from home from lengths of time and you are bound to miss out on important events. Be it a friend’s wedding, the birth of a child, a grandparent’s birthday or just your average Sunday dinner with family, you’re going to miss it. You’ll miss milestones and you’ll miss your average celebrations and those simple or large events you wish you could be there you can’t and that sucks.
You’ll Experience Loss
Realize that having a friend or family member pass away while you are away is a very real possibility. Not being able to get home to say goodbye, in person, is something that will weigh on you.
You’ll Be Unrelatable
After spending so much time away, learning from and experience different customs and cultures, you’ll have all these profound and life altering experiences….that no one back home will understand. It is hard to share something with someone or try and talk to them about it when they can’t relate or comprehend. It’s almost as if you left home and time stopped and once you return is plays again. You come back to all the familiar things but you, you have changed so much.
You’ll Miss It Like Crazy
The place that was once so far away, feels like another home. You’ll miss it, every day and can’t wait to return.
Kathmandu, Nepal – Monkey Temple
Regardless of the 7 pros and cons of long term travel, long term travel is amazing. You learn and grow in ways you can’t possibly imagine. Your outlook on life changes and in general, you change. We hope everyone gets a chance to leave the world and lifestyle they know. It was some of the best and some of the most uncomfortable times we’ve had, and we wouldn’t change or trade a single moment. So, what are you waiting for?!
This article was contributed by the Wandering Stus for Always Wanderlust
About The Wandering Stus:
Hi! We're Lauren & Jesse. A travel couple who quit our corporate jobs in 2016 in order to fulfill a dream. The dream of making time for ourselves, living in the now and exploring the beautiful people and places Mother Earth has to offer. You know, all that good stuff. We’re here to give you travel tips, epic itineraries & overall travel inspiration to help you plan your next adventure!
For more travel tips, guides and awesome travel shots, be sure to poke around our website, follow us on Instagram, Pinterest and on Facebook.
Happy Travels,
– Lauren & Jesse Stuart (The Stus)
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